Review: The Iljjock Yoke by Anita Vaani

A young cowherd’s life is turned upside-down when he’s whisked away from the 3^rd century BC to an incredible realm of the divine in The Iljjock Yoke by Anita Vaani, the first book in the Yadduk and the Gods of Seabor series.

This is an endlessly inventive novel, filled with ancient mythology, plenty of humor, plot twists, time warps, and a seemingly hapless protagonist discovering the untapped strength inside himself. After being dragged through the cosmos and arriving on Seabor, Yadduk’s eyes are opened to the bizarre lifestyles and plans of the fickle gods, who seem to hold a fascination with Earth.

Yadduk also becomes the first human to learn of the existence of the Iljjocks, the powerful creatures who inhabit Seabor, and is initially tasked to marry and mate with one of them, fulfilling a promise he made in desperation to save someone he loved. The alien divinities want to imbue Yadduk with divine powers so that he can spread the good news of their existence, while Yadduk wants that same power to travel to the land of death, Norrs, to reunite with his brother, Madho.

What unfolds from this strange premise is a divinely entertaining drama, with gods cyclically passing their souls on after death, raging power struggles between old and bitter divinities, and one human navigating court politics and the eternal game-playing of the gods. Once Yadduk’s half-human mate is created, the stakes are raised and difficult decisions must be made about whether to run away with his new lover, return to Earth a changed man, or to remain in the surreal and potentially deadly realms of Seabor, Norrs, Bor, and the divine continuum itself.

There is no lack of creativity on display in this novel, and on a thematic level, there is underlying wisdom offered on many subjects – personal autonomy, environmental protection, love in all its unique forms, and the overcoming of cultural differences. However, the overall plot arc can be at times hard to follow. The goals of certain characters appear to change quickly, as does the focus of the narration. Some scenes initially feel dramatic or central to the story, but later turn out to be irrelevant, while the carousel of characters and small plot lines can become distracting and too tangential.

On the technical side of things, the writing could be improved in various places, from the lack of fluidity and stilted nature of the dialogue to grammatical errors, misplaced words/prepositions, and unnatural phrasing. The flat tone and declarative nature of the narration often make it read like a parable, or a legend being passed down, rather than a traditional piece of prose, but there are also many hackneyed phrases and idioms used in the writing, which can feel jarring and out of place, given the out-of-this-world plot. On the other hand, the integration of other exotic languages from Seabor makes the reading experience more immersive and engaging.

That said, given the wild and boundless world on display, it is a pleasure to sink into Vaani’s fantastical story. From whimsical gods and vengeful seamones to epic battles and hopeless romantics, this book is only the beginning of Yadduk’s cosmic adventures, but it provides a mind-bending foundation for the remainder of this unique series.